Miquéias 1
Matthew Henry · Citado em PreceptAustin
Miquéias 1
Henry - Where God has a mouth to speak we must have an ear to hear we all must, for we are all concerned in what is delivered. (Commentary) Kaiser - The announcement of God’s forthcoming judgment for the sin of His people is set against the background of world judgment. Micah does not summon just Israel or Judah, but “all you peoples” and “O earth,” to pay attention to what is going to be said. The God of the Old Testament is no local provincial deity, but is the Lord over all nations and history. Even if Israel will not function in her priestly role as a “light to the nations” (Isa 42:5), she will nonetheless function as an involuntary witness to judgment from the hand of God to all nations (cf. Lev. 18:28). So, let the whole earth witness what Yahweh is now going to do in the imminent judgement. Goins - It is important to pay special attention to the fact that this initial call to hear is addressed to all the nations of the earth. Every human being needs to see and hear what God is doing, not just the Hebrew people in Judah . His words have universal application. He appears as the Sovereign of the entire earth and he comes from his kingly palace in heaven to dispense justice. God is holy, so all of his activity is holy and just. He comes to judge his overt enemies, those in active opposition to him, but also to witness against anyone who practices injustice. Nothing escapes his notice or his fair response. (Here Comes the Judge) Lord God - "This epithet literally means “my Master Yahweh”; the title expresses the intimate connection between Yahweh and the acts of judgment threatened in the prophet’s sermons. God’s rule of creation and the nations is embodied in this compound divine name." (Patterson) Be a witness against you - This conveys a picture of a courtroom scene. God will not only be witness, but judge and executioner against Israel! Matthew Henry - Let the Lord God be witness against you, a witness that you had fair warning given you, that your prophets did their duty faithfully as watchmen, but you would not take the warning let the accomplishment of the prophecy be a witness against your contempt and disbelief of it, and prove, to your conviction and confusion, that it was the word of God, and no word of his shall fall to the ground." Note, God himself will be a witness, by the judgments of his hand, against those that would not receive his testimony in the judgments of his mouth. (Commentary) From His holy temple (cf Psalm 11:4 Hab 2:20 Jonah 2:7) - His throne room in heaven not earth (as determined from the context [always "king" in interpretation!] - the next passage begins with "For" a term of explanation , which says Jehovah will "come down.") Kaiser - God, as transcendent ( beyond comprehension, rising above the universe or material existence) , is “The Lord from His holy temple” (Micah 1:2b). But He is also immanent (remaining or operating within a domain of reality), “For behold, the Lord is coming out of His place” (Micah 1:3a). Accordingly, those who depict our God as Someone Who is way off in space and removed from the daily events of our world are incorrect. Here is the great Old Testament theme of theophany, the appearance of God. It depicts our Lord suddenly coming in all His power and majesty to help His beleaguered people or to dispense justice regardless of the persons upon whom that judgment must come. So awesome is His presence that even nature itself threatens to come apart as it responds to Him...If God’s inanimate creations are this responsive, why is it that we who are created in the image of God, and in some cases are also redeemed, are more recalcitrant and slower to perceive the coming of our Lord? This Lord of all the nations will indeed come and manifest His power among the nations as He has in nature. (Ed: Meditate on this thought of the awesome nature of His presence and power - it is good impediment against sin and a strong encouragement for despair!) G Campbell
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Henry - They boasted of themselves and their relation to God, as if that would secure them but, though God never deceives the faith of the upright, he will disappoint the presumption of the hypocrites, for, behold, the Lord comes forth out of his place, quits his mercy-seat, where they thought they had him fast, and prepares his throne for judgment his glory departs, for they drive it from them. God's way towards this people had long been a way of mercy, but now he changes his way, he comes out of his place, and will come down. He had seemed to retire, as one regardless of what was done, but now he will show himself, he will rend the heavens, and will come down, not as sometimes, in surprising mercies, but in surprising judgments, to do things not for them, but against them, which they looked not for, Isaiah 64:1,26:21. (Commentary) High Places (see also comments on Mic 1:5) - God comes down from "His place," the true "High Place" (His majestic, exalted throne in heaven, read Isa 57:15) to judge the idolatrous high places on earth! God immutably hates idols - Is there any "idol" that I have allowed onto the altar of my heart? You can be sure that if you let an idol get a toehold it won't remain at the periphery, but will seek supremacy on the altar of your heart, in effect usurping the Lord Jesus Christ! Even as OT saints were encouraged to ruthless tear down the places of idolatry, so too we much do likewise, lest our spiritual walk be direly effected. J
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Henry - Do men trust to the height and strength of the mountains and rocks, as if they were sufficient to bear up their hopes and bear off their fears? They shall be molten under him, melted down as wax before the fire, Psalm 68:2. Do they trust to the fruitfulness of the valleys, and their products? They shall be cleft, or rent, with those fiery streams that shall come pouring down from the mountains when they are melted. They shall be ploughed and washed away as the ground is by the waters that are poured down a steep place. (Commentary) Micah 1:4 - Our Daily Homily - F B
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Henry - If it be asked, "Why is God so angry, and why are Jacob and Israel thus brought to ruin by His anger?" the answer is ready: Sin has done all the mischief. Sin has laid all waste. All the calamities of Jacob and Israel are owing to their transgressions. If they had not gone away from God, He would never have appeared thus against them. Note, External privileges and professions will not secure a sinful people from the judgments of God. If sin be found in the house of Israel, if Jacob be guilty of transgression and rebellion, God will not spare them. No, He will punish them first, for their sins are of all others most provoking to Him, for they are most reproaching. (Commentary)
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Henry adds - It is the idolatry of Samaria and Jerusalem, the royal cities of those two kingdoms. These were the most populous places, and where there were most people there was most wickedness, and they made one another worse. These were the most pompous places there men lived most in wealth and pleasure, and they forgot God. These were the places that had the greatest influence upon the country, by authority and example so that from them idolatry and profaneness went forth throughout all the land, Jeremiah 23:15. Note: Spiritual distempers (diseases, maladies) are most contagious in persons and places that are most conspicuous. If the head city of a kingdom, or the chief family in a parish, be vicious and profane, many will follow their pernicious ways, and write after a bad copy when great ones set it for them. The vices of leaders and rulers are leading ruling vices, and therefore shall be surely and sorely punished. Those have a great deal to answer for indeed that not only sin, but make Israel to sin. Those must expect to be made examples that have been examples of wickedness. If the transgression of Jacob is Samaria, therefore shall Samaria become a heap. Let the ringleaders in sin hear this and fear. (Commentary) High place of Judah - Micah gives us a striking contrast between the beautiful high place of the Most High God (Mic 1:3) and the despicable high places of men! High Place (01116) (bamah) can refer to a literal (physical) height (high place) such as a mountain or a high place used for worship. Samuel offered acceptable worship to God in the high place (1Sa 9:13). However most OT uses (see first three uses by Moses = Lev 26:30; Nu 22:41; 33:52) refer to places of abominable idol worship or syncretistic worship (~"God plus gods" which is really NOT worship of the One True, Living God!) Habakkuk used bamah in his last words in which he gave powerful declaration of his renewed faith "The Lord GOD is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, And makes me walk on my high places. For the choir director, on my stringed instruments." (Hab 3:19) (May his tribe increase! Amen) TWOT - The idiom of “treading on the heights” conveys the notion of possessing key terrain and thus signifies “being in firm control.” To tread bāmâ is a promise given to Israel (Dt 33:29; cf. Isa 58:14); it is descriptive also of God (Mic 1:3). The pagan cultic places were usually located on natural heights (1Sa 9:13ff.; 1Sa 10:5; 1Kgs 11:7; 2Kgs 17:9, 29; 23:5, 8). They were supplied with idols (2Chr 33:19), an ăšērâ (See Asherah), a wooden pole symbolizing the goddess of fertility and a massēbâ (04676 = "something set upright. The word most often refers to a standing, unhewn block of stone utilized for religious and memorial purposes.), one or more stone pillars symbolizing the male deity (2Kgs 3:2). The altar (2Kgs 21:3; 2Chr 14:3) built of stones, was either separate from the bāmâ or part of it. The bāmâ contained a tent or room where the cultic vessels were stored and where the sacrificial meals were eaten (1Kgs 12:31; 13:32; 2Kgs 17:29; 23:19)] Six activities seem to be related to HIGH PLACES: burning of incense, sacrificing, eating of sacrificial meals, praying, prostitution, child sacrifice (cf. Jer 7:31). Here the LORD compares His Holy City Jerusalem to the abominable idolatrous high places! Woe! Do I have any "high places" I have refused to tear down? (cf Hezekiah - 2Ki 18:1-4,5) (cf 1Cor 10:14, 1Jn 5:21. And remember that "greed" equates with idolatry! = Col 3:5-note) Bamah - 91v - Lev 26:30; Num 22:41; 33:52; Deut 32:13; 33:29; 1 Sam 9:12ff, 19, 25; 10:5, 13; 2 Sam 1:19, 25; 22:34; 1 Kgs 3:2ff; 11:7; 12:31f; 13:2, 32f; 14:23; 15:14; 22:43; 2 Kgs 12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 16:4; 17:9, 11, 29, 32; 18:4, 22; 21:3; 23:5, 8f, 13, 15, 19f; 1 Chr 16:39; 21:29; 2 Chr 1:3, 13; 11:15; 14:3, 5; 15:17; 17:6; 20:33; 21:11; 28:4, 25; 31:1; 32:12; 33:3, 17, 19; 34:3; Job 9:8; Ps 18:33; 78:58; Isa 14:14; 15:2; 16:12; 36:7; 58:14; Jer 7:31; 17:3; 19:5; 26:18; 32:35; 48:35; Ezek 6:3, 6; 16:16; 20:29; 36:2; Hos 10:8; Amos 4:13; 7:9; Mic 1:3, 5; 3:12; Hab 3:19 Judah - name of the southern kingdom after the split of the united monarchy upon the death of Solomon (Read why this happened in 1Ki 11:1-12, circa 930 BC). Micah 1:6 For I will make Samaria a heap of ruins in the open country, Planting places for a vineyard. I will pour her stones down into the valley and will lay bare her foundations. I will make 3:12; 2 Kings 19:25; Isaiah 25:2,12; Jeremiah 9:11; 51:37; Hosea 13:16 and I will pour Jeremiah 51:25; Lamentations 4:1; Ezekiel 13:14; Habakkuk 3:13; Matthew 24:2 For ("therefore" in NIV) - As noted above, always pause and ponder this term of explanation. Therefore ("for" in NAS) - In Micah 1:6-16 the Assyrian invasion is described. Cf. 2Ki 17:1-18. This is the local circumstance which gives rise to the prophecy of the greater invasion in the last days. Micah 4:9-13 and of the Lord's deliverance at Armageddon.; Revelation 16:14; Revelation 19:17. (Scofield) I will make Samaria a heap of ruins - This is one of those "promises" we don't like, but it is one that God fulfilled through pagan human instruments when the Assyrians conquered the Northern Kingdom in 722BC (2Ki 17:3-6). Note that while God uses evil men to carry out His chastisement, He is never Himself evil. In addition those evil men will be held accountable for their sinful actions! God is sovereign, holy and just! Make Samaria a heap of ruins - Fulfilled when the Assyrians besieged Samaria for three years, finally defeating King Hoshea and his forces, and carrying them away to Assyria (2Ki 17:6). Since this event took place during the reign of Ahaz in Judah, the prophecy itself was evidently made during the previous reign of Jotham. Samaria, built to a state of opulence by Omri and Ahab, as the capital of Israel, was completely demolished by the Assyrian armies of Sargon. It stood on a hill, but its building stones were thrown down into the valley, just as Micah had prophesied, and its entire area eventually cultivated with vineyards, olive trees and fig trees. God's Word never fails! (Josh 23:14, Josh 21:45, Nu 23:19, Lk 1:37ASV) (Henry
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Henry - Neither men of high degree, as the mountains, nor men of low degree, as the valleys, shall be able to secure either themselves or the land from judgments of God, when they are sent with commission to lay all waste, and, like a sweeping rain, to leave no food, Pr 28:3. This is applied particularly to the head city of Israel, which they hoped would be a protection to the kingdom (Micah 1:6): I will make Samaria, that is now a rich and populous city, as a heap of the field, as a heap of dung laid there to be spread, or as a heap of stones gathered together to be carried away, and as plantings of a vineyard, as hillocks of earth raised to plant vines in. God will make of that city a heap, of that defended city a ruin, Isaiah 25:2. Their altars had been as heaps in the furrows of the fields (Hosea 12:11) and now their houses shall be so, as ruinous heaps. The stones of the city are poured down into the valley by the fury of the conqueror, who will thus be revenged on those walls that so long held out against him. They shall be quite pulled down, so that the very foundations shall be discovered, that had been covered by the superstructure and not one stone shall be left upon another. (Commentary) Micah 1:7 All of her idols will be smashed, All of her earnings will be burned with fire And all of her images I will make desolate, For she collected them from a harlot's earnings, And to the earnings of a harlot they will return. all the graven Leviticus 26:30; 2 Kings 23:14,15; 2 Chronicles 31:1; 34:6,7; Isaiah 27:9; Hosea 8:6; 10:5,6 the hires Jeremiah 44:17,18; Hosea 2:5,12 for Deuteronomy 23:18; Joel 3:3; Revelation 18:3,9,12,13 NLT - All her carved images will be smashed to pieces. All her sacred treasures will be burned up. These things were bought with the money earned by her prostitution (cf Ge 38:17,18, Ezek 16:10,11, Hos 2:8,9, 10), and they will now be carried away to pay prostitutes elsewhere." All...idols...all...earnings...all...images - No exception clauses! Jesus exhorts us to "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (M 6:20-21-note) Do not let idols steal your heart, for they will never satisfy your heart and ultimately they will break your heart! See related discussion on true contentment. Waltke - Golden images, of such monetary value yet so spiritually and politically worthless, were constructed from the wages of cult prostitutes. The conquerors will break them up and use the money to repeat the same cycle. Only the heart of depraved man could worship gods like that! Martin - In Baalism, a pagan fertility religion, “sacred” prostitutes were set apart for the “worship” of pagan fertility deities. (Ed: What a deception! Worshiping God under the guise of perverted sexual activity! It is amazing how far one will wander from the truth when we begin with a little sin!) Idols (06456)(pasil) is a masculine noun derived from from the verb pāsal (06458), meaning to hew or to cut, as when one carved an image. The Law was clear - "burn their graven images with fire." (Dt 7:5, 25, cp Dt 12:3 = God is serious! He knows how enticing and ensnaring this sin is!). Utter destruction is the only "cure" for this sin, which reminds us of Jesus' strong words in Mt 5:27-30 If your right eye makes you stumble, tear (aorist imperative = command to do this now! Do not delay!) it out and throw (aorist imperative) it from you; for (term of explanation) it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. “If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off (aorist imperative) and throw (aorist imperative) it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell. (Mt 5:29-30-note)! Pasil - 23v - Deut 7:5, 25; 12:3; Jdg 3:19, 26; 2Kgs 17:41; 2Chr 33:19, 22; 34:3f, 7; Ps 78:58; Isa 10:10; 21:9; 30:22; 42:8; Jer 8:19; 50:38; 51:47, 52; Hos 11:2; Mic 1:7; 5:13 Earnings (3x in this verse) (0868)(ethnan) the wages (of a harlot). Ethnan - 8x - Dt 23:18; Isa 23:17f; Ezek 16:31, 34, 41; Hos 9:1; Mic 1:7 Under King Ahaz they even began child sacrifice (2Ki 16:3) and the erection of a pagan altar in the temple (2Ki 16:10-16). One of the reforms of Hezekiah’s reign was to remove the high places (2Ki 18:4). The Northern 10 tribes (Israel) had become so apostate (cf God's clear warning - Dt 23:17,18) that the people were actually involved in pagan cultic prostitution (See Harlot), supposedly under the guise of carrying out "religious worship!" Sin deceives and debases and degrades and this genre of practice is a perfect example of the power of sin to destroy a soul! This axiomatic truth begs the question...Am I "toying" with sin, thinking it's only a "baby boa constrictor" and it would never harm me? Wrong! (See Illustration) Read Solomon's advice (Pr 5:22-note), ironically and tragically, advice he himself failed to heed - you can know the truth, not heed the truth and continue in bondage to sin (Compare Jesus' words in Jn 8:31-32, 34, 36, James 1:22-24- note)! (See also Deceitfulness of sin) Sin will take you further than you ever wanted to stray! Cost you more than you ever dreamed you would pay! Keep you longer than you ever thought you would stay! Harlot (prostitute) (02181) (zanah) is a verb meaning to commit fornication, to be a harlot or to play the harlot. This was a problem with Israel from the very onset of the nation living in Canaan, Moses recording "While Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab." (Nu 25:1) God saw this as "spiritual adultery" because He was their faithful Husband (Isa 54:5, Jer 3:14, Je 31:32 cf Ho 2:2; Isa 62:4-5) and called them to also be faithful. Beloved, this principle has not changed! We all need to continually search our hearts asking "Am I a faithful Bride to my faithful, loving Bridegroom Christ Jesus? Patterson - This is probably a reference to the ritual prostitution characteristic of Canaanite fertility cult worship incorporated into Hebrew worship by means of religious syncretism (the combination of different forms of belief or practice). According to Allen (1976:273–274), the Israelites had degraded Yahweh into a fertility cult god and “the destruction of its material representations is Yahweh’s vindication of himself and his true character.” Zanah - 83v - Ge 34:31; 38:15, 24; Ex 34:15f; Lev 17:7; 19:29; 20:5f; 21:7, 9, 14; Num 15:39; 25:1; Deut 22:21; 23:18; 31:16; Josh 2:1; 6:17, 22, 25; Jdg 2:17; 8:27, 33; 11:1; 16:1; 19:2; 1Kgs 3:16; 22:38; 1Chr 5:25; 2Chr 21:11, 13; Ps 73:27; 106:39; Pr 6:26; 7:10; 23:27; 29:3; Isa 1:21; 23:15ff; 57:3; Jer 2:20; 3:1, 3, 6, 8; 5:7; Ezek 6:9; 16:15ff, 26, 28, 30f, 33ff, 41; 20:30; 23:3, 5, 19, 30, 43f; Hos 1:2; 2:5; 3:3; 4:10, 12ff, 18; 5:3; 9:1; Joel 3:3; Amos 7:17; Mic 1:7; Nah 3:4 Scofield: These "temple gifts" probably were costly vessels that had been given to heathen temples. Matthew Henry - What they gave to their idols, and what they thought they got by them, shall be as the hire of a harlot the curse of God shall be upon it, and it shall never prosper, nor do them any good. It is common that what is squeezed out by one lust is squandered away upon another. (Commentary) The irony of this passage is that the gold and silver taken from Israel's places of idol worship were used by the Assyrians to make their own idols for worship! As Kaiser says "All too often evil is like a treadmill that keeps on repeating itself apart from the dramatic intervention of the Spirit of God."
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Henry - We have here a long train of mourners attending the funeral of a ruined kingdom. The prophet is himself chief mourner (Micah 1:8,9): I will wail and howl I will go stripped and naked, as a man distracted with grief. The prophets usually expressed their own grief for the public grievances, partly to mollify (soothe) their predictions and to make it appear that it was not out of ill-will that they denounced the judgments of God (so far were they from desiring the woeful day that they dreaded it more than anything), partly to show how very dreadful and mournful the calamities would be, and to stir up in the people a holy fear of the calamities, that by repentance they might turn away the wrath of God. Note: We ought to lament the punishments of sinners as well as the sufferings of saints in this world the weeping prophet did so (Jeremiah 9:1) so did this prophet. (Commentary) Jesus said "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." (Matt 5:4-note) David description would apply to Micah's heart - "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise." (Ps 51:17-note) I must lament and wail - It is easy to read this description and miss the very real pain Micah felt at the coming destruction which he was called upon to prophesy. And so we get a brief glimpse into the heart of a prophet. Micah is compelled ("I must" - 3x) not just to use one word but four related words, so deep was his grief at the sin of his people and the devastating judgment God declared He must bring against them! And so as Micah received the word of the LORD (Micah 1:1), he grieved deeply by the truth it revealed. How do I respond to God's Word of truth, especially when His Spirit uses that truth to expose my sin? (cf Heb 4:12-13-note). The truths in this one verse would make a powerful sermon! Lament (05594)(saphad) means to mourn aloud expressing deep sorrow by weeping, sobbing, even flailing one's arms. Many of the uses are found in the context of mourning over someone's death (Ge 23:2; 50:10; 1Sa 25:1; 28:3; 2Sa 1:12; 3:31; 11:26; 1Ki 13:29-30). In a sense Micah is mourning over the death of a nation, because God's Chosen People had for the most part rejected God and chosen other gods which are really not gods at all! (1Cor 8:4, cp Ps 106:20!) Septuagint (Lxx) translates saphad with kopto which in the middle voice (as in this verse) means to beat one's self on the breast as a passionate expression of grief and remorse (as when the world sees Jesus in His glory in Mt 24:30, Rev 1:7-note, cf world's response to fall of Babylon = Rev 18:9-note) Saphad - 29v - Gen 23:2; 50:10; 1 Sam 25:1; 28:3; 2 Sam 1:12; 3:31; 11:26; 1Kgs 13:29f; 14:13, 18; Eccl 3:4; 12:5; Isa 32:12; Jer 4:8; 16:4ff; 22:18; 25:33; 34:5; 49:3; Ezek 24:16, 23; Joel 1:13; Mic 1:8; Zech 7:5; 12:10, 12 Usage NAS: beat(1), lament(9), lamented(5), mourn(8), mourned(6), mourners(1), mourns(1). Wail (03213)(yalal) means to howl (to emit a loud sustained doleful sound like dogs are known to cry). To cry out loudly, even with "shrill shouting noises of sorrow." To wail with loud weeping, cries of sorrow, deep lamentation. Lxx translates with threneo = to express grieve as in a dirge, with sorrowful tones, to shriek out, to sing funeral songs (Mt 11:17, to mourn for someone (Lk 23:27). Yalal - 29v - Isa 13:6; 14:31; 15:2f, 8; 16:7; 23:1, 6, 14; 52:5; 65:14; Jer 4:8; 25:34; 47:2; 48:20, 31, 39; 49:3; 51:8; Ezek 21:12; 30:2; Hos 7:14; Joel 1:5, 11, 13; Amos 8:3; Mic 1:8; Zeph 1:11; Zech 11:2. Usage NAS: howl(1), turn to wailing(1), wail(25), wailed(1), wailing(2), wails(1). Lament (04553)(misped derived from saphad-see note above) describes deep, despairing emotional reactions by persons and animals at some calamity. Lxx translates misped with kopetos = beating the breast as a sign of grief and lamentation (Acts 8:2 at the martyr Stephen's burial; used of Joseph and his family's reaction to the death of the patriarch Jacob/Israel - Ge 50:10; also used in Zech 12:10 when Israel sees Messiah return). Misped - 13v - Ge 50:10; Esther 4:3; Ps 30:11; Isa 22:12; Jer 6:26; 48:38; Ezek 27:31; Joel 2:12; Amos 5:16f; Mic 1:8, 11; Zech 12:11. Usage NAS: lament(1), lamentation(4), mourning(5), wailing(4). Here is an encouraging use of misped by David who testifies to the power of God's Spirit... You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness (Ps 30:11-Spurgeon's exposition) Mourning (060)(ebel) describes the feeling and/or expression of grief or sorrow, often accompanied by ritual actions that signify that one is mourning. Lxx translates ebel with penthos (cf verb pentheo) which means to experience and/or express grief, sadness, sorrow (as used in James 4:9-note = mourn). Ebel - 22v - Ge 27:41; 50:10-11; Deut 34:8; 2Sa 11:27; 14:2; 19:2; Esther 4:3; 9:22; Job 30:31; Eccl 7:2, 4; Isa 60:20; 61:3; Jer 6:26; 16:7; 31:13; Lam 5:15; Ezek 24:17; Amos 5:16; 8:10; Mic 1:8 Usage NAS: mourn(1), mourning(23) I must make a lament like the Jackals and a mourning like the Ostriches.- The "ostrich" was known to have "a peculiar mournful cry that is sometimes mistaken by the Arabs for that of the lion." (Smith's Dictionary). ISBE describes "their night cries that were guttural, terrifying groans, like the roaring of lions. The birds were brought into many pictures of desolation, because people dreaded their fearful voices." To help you understand Micah's two similes listen to... The shrill cry of the Jackal The haunting cry of the Ostrich Micah 1:9 For her wound is incurable, for it has come to Judah; It has reached the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem. her wound is incurable or, she is grievously sick of her wounds. Isaiah 1:5,6; Jeremiah 15:18; 30:11-15 it 2 Kings 18:9-13; Isaiah 8:7,8 he 12; 2 Chronicles 32:1-23; Isaiah 10:28-32; 37:22-36 For - Always pause and ponder this term of explanation. Micah continues to explain why he is so heart broken over his people. He foresees the coming Assyrian invasion. Her wound - Some think this refers to to Samaria's punishment from God. Others think it refers to Samaria's sin which has come to Judah much like gangrene which spreads in the human body and kills unless it is cut out. The NET translation has "It has infected Judah; it has spread to the leadership of my people and has even contaminated Jerusalem!" Samaria's sin was both communicable and terminal and Judah had become infected! There is no such thing as a "little sin." Sin is always terminal (Ro 5:12-note), unless covered by the Blood of Jesus Christ. Wound (04347)(makkah) refers literally to a blow delivered by a weapon. It describes the punishment due someone in a legal case (40 stripes - Dt 25:3, cp Pr 20:30). God is occasionally the subject of makkah (Josh 10:10 Lev 26:21) Lxx translates makkah with the Greek noun plege = blow, stripe, wound, bruise. Makkah - 44v - Lev 26:21; Num 11:33; Deut 25:3; 28:59, 61; 29:22; Josh 10:10, 20; Jdg 11:33; 15:8; 1 Sam 4:8, 10; 6:19; 14:14, 30; 19:8; 23:5; 1Kgs 20:21; 22:35; 2Kgs 8:29; 9:15; 2Chr 2:10; 13:17; 28:5; Ps 64:7; Pr 20:30; Isa 1:6; 10:26; 14:6; 27:7; 30:26; Jer 6:7; 10:19; 14:17; 15:18; 19:8; 30:12, 14, 17; 49:17; 50:13; Mic 1:9; Nah 3:19; Zech 13:6. Usage in NAS: blow(1), casualties(1), crushed(1), disasters(1), inflicted(1), injury(1), plague(3), plagues(4), slaughter(14), stripes(1), strokes(2), wound(8), wounded(1), wounds(9). Reached the gate of my people -